In 1960, Edward Nichol
designed the Marlin Glenfield Model 60 off of the Model 99 platform.
The major improvements
made to the Model 60 over the 99 were the transition from steel inner tubes to
brass inner tubes in the tubular magazine in order to prevent rusting. The
Model 60 was also grooved for tip-off scope mounts and given a different wood
stock. Early models were stamped “Marlin
Model 60G” (“G” for Glenfield), which was replaced in the late 1960s with “Marlin
Glenfield Model 60”, on the barrel.

Most importantly the
Marlin Model 60 featured a 22” grooved and rifled barrel, with Marlin’s patented Micro-Groove rifling technology.
The rifling and the precision-crowned
muzzle gives the Model 60 an inherent accuracy advantage over its other rimfire
competitors. The Micro-Groove system doesn’t damage the actual bullet as it travels
down the barrel but the competitor’s much deeper rifling grooves did.

Since the birth of the
Marlin Glenfield Model 60 there have been over 11 million made to date!

In 1967, Marlin
introduced the Glenfield Model 70 which is very similar to the Model 60 except
that it uses a box magazine instead of the tubular magazine.

In 1976, the wrap
around front sight of the Model 60 with a screw on ramp sight. Around that time a compression ring was added
to the magazine tube end catch.

Then in 1983, Marlin
decided to drop the Glenfield designation along with the barrel band and
stock-checkering.

Overall, the basic
design of the Model 60 never changed much for 25 years until, in 1985; Marlin
implemented a “last shot” hold open feature that holds the bolt halfway open
after the last round is ejected. The Glenfield/ Marlin 60 did not come with a bolt release until 1985. Earlier productions did not have the last shot hold open feature. The only way to hold the bolt open was to pull the bolt handle back and push in. To release, pull the bolt a little further back and pull out.

In the late 1980s,
Marlin was forced to chop the 18-round tubular magazine due to legislation that
was implemented requiring a 15 round limit to meet NJ’s firearms law for
semi-automatic assault weapons.

In 1999, the barrel
length was shortened from 22” to 19”.
There has also been a succession of changes to the feed throat, ejector,
bolt, action side plates and the trigger guard over the years.